Container for storage and/or shipment of live lobsters

Abstract

A storage and shipping container for live lobsters is disclosed. This container has a bottom portion containing lobster holsters to contain the tail and body portions of the lobster and support the claws of the lobster at the Merus section. An optional intermediate section provides ribs to support refrigerator gel packs or other coolant contained in an upper cover section or the container. A method for packaging live lobsters employing this container is also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A storage and/or shipment container for live lobsters, comprising: a. a bottom section having therein a plurality of lobster holsters, each of said lobster holsters being suitable for containing the body and tail of a single lobster in a manner which supports the claws of the lobster at the Merus section;   b. an upper cover section having an interior void volume suitable for containing a cooling means for lobsters contained in the holsters within the bottom section of the container; and,   c. an intermediate section having means therein for supporting cooling means for lobsters contained within the upper cover section of the container, the bottom, upper and intermediate sections of said container being formed from a thermally insulating material and having means for joining them together into an integral storage and/or shipment container for live lobsters.     
     
     
       2. A container of claim 1 wherein the bottom section is rectangular in shape. 
     
     
       3. A container of claim 2 wherein the lobster holsters within the bottom section are formed from a series of parallel internal walls running the length and width of said bottom section. 
     
     
       4. A container of claim 3 wherein the bottom section is molded as a unitary structure. 
     
     
       5. A container of claim 4 wherein the means for supporting cooling means for lobsters contained in the holsters within the bottom section of the container comprise parallel rib members running in the lengthwise direction within the intermediate section. 
     
     
       6. A container of claim 5 wherein the intermediate section is a molded unitary structure. 
     
     
       7. A container of claim 6 wherein the upper section is a molded unitary structure. 
     
     
       8. A container of claim 7 wherein each of the bottom, upper and intermediate sections is formed from a foamed polymer. 
     
     
       9. A container of claim 8 wherein said polymer comprises foamed polystyrene. 
     
     
       10. A container of claim 9 wherein said means for joining comprise raised male locking sections at the upper perimeters of the bottom and intermediate sections and complementary female recesses for said male members on the bottom perimeters of said intermediate and upper cover sections. 
     
     
       11. A container of claim 10 containing male locating lugs on the bottom section thereof and complementary female locating recessions on the upper surface of the cover section. 
     
     
       12. A storage and/or shipment container for live lobsters comprising a bottom section having its internal volume segregated into a plurality of lobster holsters for containing the body and tail of a single lobster and an upper cover portion having an interior void volume suitable for containing a cooling means for lobsters contained in holsters within the bottom section of the container, the bottom and upper sections of said container being formed of a thermally insulating material and having means for joining them together into an integral storage and/or shipment container for live lobster, said lobster holsters supporting the claws of the lobsters at the Merus sections in said integral storage and/or shipment container. 
     
     
       13. A method for packaging live lobsters for shipment, comprising the steps of: a. providing a shipment container comprising a bottom section having therein a plurality of lobster holsters, each of said lobster holders being suitable for containing the body and tail of a single lobster in a manner which supports the claws of the lobster at the Merus section, an upper cover section having an interior void volume suitable for containing a cooling means for lobsters contained in the holsters within the bottom section of the container and an intermediate section having means therein for supporting cooling means for lobsters contained within the upper cover section of the container, the bottom, upper and intermediate sections of said container being formed from a thermally insulating material and having means for joining them together into an integral storage and shipment container for lobsters;   b. joining the intermediate section of said container to the bottom section;   c. introducing lobsters into at least some of the lobster holsters contained in the bottom section of said container;   d. adding cooling means on the top of said intermediate section; and   e. joining the cover section to the intermediate section.   
     
     
       14. A method of claim 13 including the step of inserting moisture media between the lobsters and cooling means. 
     
     
       15. A method of claim 14 wherein said moisture media comprises wet newspaper.